Miller makes history as Wallaroos run in eight tries to rout Scotland
Desiree Miller made history as Australia's Wallaroos hammered Scotland 56-12 at Accor Stadium in Sydney on 17 October.
The win was emphatic. Eight tries to two, including 42 points in a row, and a second straight victory over the Scots in less than a month, according to The Guardian.
Scotland struck first. Katie Buchanan crossed early to give the visitors a 5-0 lead and briefly silence the home crowd.
The response was ruthless. Miller, shifted to full-back — the last line of defence and attack — for this match, hit back with her opening try to become the first Wallaroo to reach 20 Test tries. A Test is an international appearance. A try, worth five points, is rugby union's main way of scoring, earned by grounding the ball over the tryline.
Miller was not done. She added her 21st Test score later in the rout to stretch a record that already stood alone.
Australia never looked back after levelling the contest. The Wallaroos piled on points through the middle of the game to turn a tight start into a runaway.
Amelia Whitaker was at the heart of it with two tries, including her first ever Test try. Maya Stewart also crossed on her return from an Achilles injury, a long lay-off for any player who relies on pace and power. Hooker Brittany Merlo — the front-row forward who throws the ball into the lineout — added another as Australia's forwards and backs shared the load.
Scotland had no answer to the pace and continuity. Rachel Malcolm did grab a second try for the visitors, but by then Australia were clear.
The finish summed up the afternoon. Prop Eva Karpani, also back from injury, crashed over on the final buzzer with three defenders hanging off her to complete the 56-12 scoreline.
What makes this stand out is the momentum. This was Australia's first Test on home soil since April. It followed a 30-10 win over the same opponents in Edinburgh the previous month, a result that ended a run of six straight Test defeats.
For fans, this means back-to-back wins with attacking depth. Young finishers stepping up. Experienced players returning. A full-back experiment working.
The two sides meet again quickly. They were scheduled to face each other in Canberra on the Friday after the Sydney game.
Saturday in Sydney was only the start. The Wallaroos-Scotland clash opened a quadruple-header at Accor Stadium, with Australia's men's and women's sevens teams also in action before the Wallabies faced the All Blacks later that evening.
